7. PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT This program provides two years of basic science or outcomes research training in fields related to vascular surgery for developing academic clinicians and scientists. It addresses the critical need for adequate research training opportunities for vascular surgeons during their formative years. Research training in bioinformatics, molecular and cell biology, biomechanics, coagulation disorders, angiogenesis, and advanced outcomes research is provided with a focus on clinically relevant problems such as atherogenesis, intimal hyperplasia, prosthetic-host interactions, and pathologic thrombosis. Trainees pursue a program of intense investigation supplemented with course work in research design and statistics. The program is conducted and closely supervised by its directors, co-directors and mentors, all of whom have well-established records of peer- reviewed research, and who were selected both for their current research activities and their proven commitment to training research fellows. For each trainee, individual mentors are chosen from the program's faculty on the basis of their background and research interests. Trainees carry out their own projects under the close guidance of their mentor. Collaboration between laboratories and sharing of expertise is encouraged and fostered through multiple joint activities. Laboratory training can be supplemented by graduate level course work at Harvard Medical School?s Department of Health Care Policy and Research and with Harvard's Faculty of Arts and Sciences. Upon completion of the program, trainees are capable of independent research and possess the scientific and investigative background needed to obtain competitive peer-reviewed funding. In addition, graduates of the program have gained sufficient knowledge and skills necessary to provide translational expertise as they join medical school faculties. Selection of the eight trainees is based on their abilities in research and their desire to pursue an academic career that involves basic or clinical investigation. Applicants are resident physicians who have completed two to five years of post-graduate surgical training, or those who have a PhD with zero to five years of postdoctoral experience. Trainees are required to commit to two years of training. Only those applicants with clearly stated career goals of becoming surgeon-scientists or scientists, and with a keen interest in basic or outcomes research in fields related to vascular surgery are eligible. Candidates wishing to pursue this 2-year research fellowship during clinical training must provide evidence that they will be accepted back into their program upon completion.